Maji -Maji Rebellion (1905 – 1907)

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  • Maji -Maji Rebellion (1905 – 1907). The Maji-Maji rebellion took place in southern Tanganyika and was against the German rule.
  • The rebellion included a large section of tribes in southern Tanganyika e.g. Zaramo, Wangindo, Bena, Pogoro, Matumbi e.t.c.
  • The rebellion got its name from a Swahili phrase “maji-maji” which means magic water.
  •  This magic water was got from River Rufiji by a medicine man called Bakero Kinjikitile Ngwale.
  • The rebellion stated in July 1905 and ended in 1907.

Causes of Maji Maji rebellion

  • The unsuccessful cotton scheme: The people of southern Tanganyika were forced to grow cotton by the Germans in 1902 but the soils were poor and the yields were also poor.
  • Africans also received very little pay for the cotton and this is what sparked off the rebellion.
  • Forced labor on government farms and public works like roads also forced Africans to rebel e.g. Africans worked for long hours and received little or no pay at all.
  • Heavy taxes. The Germans imposed taxes on Africans e.g. three rupees per cotton plot yet the taxes were accompanied with cruel methods of collection e.g. failure to pay meant torture, flogging and imprisonment.
  • Loss of land/land alienation: Africans in Southern Tanganyika had lost a lot of their lands to the German settlers forcing them to move to remote and unfavorable land.
  • The desire to regain independence that had been eroded by the Germans also led to the Maji – Maji rebellion in 1905.
  •  The Africans were also resisting the cultural imperialism of the Germans who were encouraging Christianity and western education in favor of African cultures.
  • The Wangindo blamed the German mercenaries i.e. Akidas and Jumbes for raping and eloping with their wives and daughters as they were working on the cotton farms. .Akidas and Jumbes also allowed their dogs to enter Mosques and this greatly annoyed the Muslims.
  • The rebellion was also caused by the struggle to control the trade between the coast and the interior i.e. both Germans and Africans all claimed to control the trade.
  • Kinjikitile’s religious Propaganda that the magic water would give the fighters protection against German bullets inspired the Africans to fight and Kinjikitile provided the long awaited leadership for the revolt.
  • The replacement of African traditional rulers with the Akidas and Jumbes, who were very harsh, brutal and corrupt also led to the rebellion.
  • Effects of earlier rebellions for example the Hehe rebellion of 1890 in Tanganyika also inspired the Africans in Southern Tanganyika to rebel.
  • The Ngoni had a personal grievance against the Germans because they wanted to revenge on the Germans for murdering their tribe mates during the Boma massacres in 1897.

Course of the rebellion

  • In 1904, a traditional priest called Bakero Kinjikitile Ngwale emerged from the Ngarambe hills near River Rufigi.
  • He was possessed by a spirit called Hongo which stayed in a pond near River Rufigi.
  • It was from River Rufigi that the Magic water was got and mixed with millet, sorghum and local herbs to give immunity to the German bullets.
  • By January 1905, a secret movement called Jujila or Nywiwila had been formed among the Wangindo and Matumbi.
  • This movement worked by secretly communicating from one person to another, encouraging people to go for Kinjikitile’s Magic water.
  • However Kinjikitile did not instruct people to go and start fighting and when the Germans heard about the medicine man from Ngarambe hills, they did not take him serious.
  • By 1905, people grew impatient and decided to provoke the Germans into war by uprooting cotton farms and this was enough to engage the Germans into war against the Africans.
  • From Rufiji area, within a few weeks the rebellion had quickly spread to other cotton producing areas like Uluguru, Mahenge and Kilombero valleys.
  • On 2nd August 1905, the Africans attacked the coastal town of Samanga near Kilwa where many traders and government officials were murdered.
  • The whole town was burnt down and German missionaries were murdered.
  • From this time, the rebellion spread to all areas through night messengers and several societies e.g. the Mbuga, Bena, Pogoro, Zaramo later joined the rebellion.
  • On the 30th August 1905, Maji – Maji fighters attacked Lukuledi and Mahinge Valleys where the Germans were caught unprepared and it was a success for the Africans.
  • This forced the Germans to take the rebellion seriously and they adopted the scorched earth policy while the Africans resorted to Guerilla warfare.
  • The Germans ordered for reinforcements and by November 1905, it had arrived under Von Wissman and the Germans started suppressing the rebellion systematically.
  • From 1906, the Germans rounded up whoever was opposed to their rule especially the ring leaders.
  • Leaders were killed, captured while others surrendered and Kinjikitile didn’t survive these killings.
  • Others decided to go into exile in Mozambique and when Kinjikitile was killed the rebellion came to an end in 1907 with the Germans emerging victorious.